WHOIS & RDAP Lookup
Check domain registration, registrar, expiration dates, nameservers, and raw WHOIS records. Modern RDAP protocol with legacy WHOIS fallback.
Privacy redaction notice
Due to privacy regulations and registrar privacy services, many domains no longer show direct owner contact details. You will usually still see registrar information, registration dates, nameservers, status codes, and sometimes a privacy relay email.
Common Questions
Everything you need to know about WHOIS lookups, domain privacy, RDAP, and managing your domain registration data.
What is the difference between RDAP and WHOIS?
RDAP is the modern replacement for WHOIS. It returns structured JSON over HTTPS and is easier to parse consistently. WHOIS is the older protocol that returns plain text. This tool tries RDAP first and falls back to WHOIS when needed.
How do I hide my personal information from a public WHOIS search?
Enable domain privacy protection through your registrar. Most registrars offer this free or for a small annual fee. Privacy protection replaces your name, email, phone, and address in the public WHOIS database with the registrar's generic contact details. This protects you from spam, identity theft, and data harvesting.
Why are some WHOIS details hidden or redacted?
Two main reasons. The owner may have purchased privacy protection through their registrar. Many registries also automatically redact personal data to comply with privacy regulations like GDPR (EU), PIPEDA (Canada), and CCPA (California). Even with redaction, public records usually still show registrar information, registration dates, nameservers, and status codes.
Can I contact a domain owner through a privacy-protected email?
Sometimes. Many privacy services publish a relay email that forwards messages to the actual registrant, though delivery is not guaranteed. For serious inquiries, try the relay first. For abuse reports or legal matters, contact the registrar's abuse address directly — that is usually listed even when owner details are hidden.
How do I update incorrect WHOIS contact information?
Under ICANN rules, your registrar must keep WHOIS contact information accurate. Log into your registrar account, navigate to your domain or contact profile settings, and edit your details. Changes typically propagate within 24 to 48 hours. ICANN can suspend domains with persistently invalid WHOIS data, so keeping it accurate matters.
How do I check if a domain name is available?
Run a WHOIS lookup on the exact domain you want. If no registration record returns, the domain is available. If a record exists, it is taken. Lookups across multiple TLDs (.ca, .com, .net) help build a shortlist quickly. Most lookup tools link directly to a registrar so you can purchase available names immediately.
Can I buy a domain directly after running a WHOIS search?
Yes. If a lookup shows a domain is unregistered, most tools link to a registrar where you can register it. If it is taken, you can search similar names or contact the current owner through WHOIS to negotiate a private sale. Important: WHOIS contact details may only be used for legitimate domain-related purposes — using them for spam violates ICANN policy and laws like CASL and CAN-SPAM.
What does clientTransferProhibited mean?
A status code that means the domain is transfer-locked at the registrar level. It prevents unauthorized transfers to another registrar and is enabled by default on most newly registered domains. To transfer your own domain, log into your current registrar and remove the lock before initiating the transfer.
How long do WHOIS changes take to propagate?
Typically 24 to 48 hours, though most registrars push updates within minutes. If changes still are not showing after 48 hours, contact your registrar. WHOIS lookup tools often cache results, so trying a different tool may show fresher data.
Disclaimer: This tool queries publicly available RDAP and WHOIS data. Results reflect the state at the time of lookup and may be incomplete due to privacy redaction, rate limiting, or TLD restrictions.